A man trying to steal copper wiring Saturday morning from a Southern California Edison substation received a shock that left him in critical condition and knocked out power for thousands of San Bernardino residents, police officials said.
Officers responded just before 2:05 a.m. to the substation near the intersection of Rialto and Stoddard avenues. A witness -- Porario Velasquez -- told police dispatchers that a man in his 20s tried to steal wiring and was set on fire.
"I heard a banging… and all of a sudden an explosion that was like lightning," Velasquez told KTLA.
He then saw the suspected copper thief flailing his arms, which were covered in flames.
Police and firefighters found the man inside the fenced substation, according to a news release issued by the San Bernardino Police Department. Paramedics rushed the man to Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in Colton where he is now listed in extremely grave condition.
The man was shocked by as many as 33,000 volts while he tried to steal the wiring, according to the news release. Officials have not yet released the man's name, saying his family has not yet been notified of his condition.
The shock also resulted in a power outage to more than 2,300 Edison customers, according to the news release. By 2 p.m., power was restored to all customers, Edison officials said.
http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktla-san-bernardino-copper-theft-power-outage,0,4184413.story
Update - A suspected copper thief who received an electrical shock while trying to steal wires in San Bernardino died at a hospital Sunday night. Michael Morga Garcia, 26, of San Bernardino was pronounced dead at 8:32 p.m., San Bernardino County coroner's officials said.
![awesome :awesome: :awesome:](https://www.justplainpolitics.com/images/smilies/a.gif)
Officers responded just before 2:05 a.m. to the substation near the intersection of Rialto and Stoddard avenues. A witness -- Porario Velasquez -- told police dispatchers that a man in his 20s tried to steal wiring and was set on fire.
"I heard a banging… and all of a sudden an explosion that was like lightning," Velasquez told KTLA.
He then saw the suspected copper thief flailing his arms, which were covered in flames.
Police and firefighters found the man inside the fenced substation, according to a news release issued by the San Bernardino Police Department. Paramedics rushed the man to Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in Colton where he is now listed in extremely grave condition.
The man was shocked by as many as 33,000 volts while he tried to steal the wiring, according to the news release. Officials have not yet released the man's name, saying his family has not yet been notified of his condition.
The shock also resulted in a power outage to more than 2,300 Edison customers, according to the news release. By 2 p.m., power was restored to all customers, Edison officials said.
http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktla-san-bernardino-copper-theft-power-outage,0,4184413.story
Update - A suspected copper thief who received an electrical shock while trying to steal wires in San Bernardino died at a hospital Sunday night. Michael Morga Garcia, 26, of San Bernardino was pronounced dead at 8:32 p.m., San Bernardino County coroner's officials said.
![awesome :awesome: :awesome:](https://www.justplainpolitics.com/images/smilies/a.gif)